Journal of Nordregio no 3, 2009

Northern Norden: a new mining era

Many parts of northern Norden are forging ahead into a new mining era. Future plans included doubling production of iron-ore in Kiruna, reopening the iron-mine at Kirkenes in Norway and also opening a completely new iron-mine close to Pajala in Northern Sweden. Both Sweden and Finland are also preparing new mining ventures in respect of gold, uranium and other minerals. Including Northwest-Russia, there are currently 42 functioning mines in the region. Within a few years there could be as many as 68. The basis for these developments is the enduring richness of the Fennoscandain Shield, which provides a geological structure ripe with assets.